Have you been sold counterfeit batteries? (NiMH)

Posted by Site Admin on 30/11/2015

Have you been sold counterfeit rechargeable batteries? How can you know?

You will find that most counterfeit batteries are sold by sellers who only supply AA and AAA batteries and not packs made up for model use. The reason for this is that model control users have ways of testing the capacity of their batteries were as the average family battery users does not. This means that users often think that rechargeable batteries are very powerful but they don't last long. This isn't the case.

There is an easy way to find out if you have been sold a counterfeit battery. There is a relationship between maximum capacity (mAh) and minimum weight that they can be at to hold that capacity.

1. Light weight cells with high capacity on them are counterfeit.

2. AA cell 3000 mAh and above are counterfeit.

3. AAA cell 1200 mAh and above are counterfeit.

We tested some cells that you can purchase on the internet and below are the results.

Make

Listed Capacity

Weight

True Capacity (test at 0.2 c)

@me

3800 mAh AA

15 g

426 mAh

Uktracell

3000 mAh AA

18 g

631 mAh

Unbranded

3000 mAh AA

18 g

598 mAh

BTY

3000 mAh AA

16 g

219 mAh

Duracell

2400 mAh AA

29 g

2385 mAh

Well known consumer brand

Vapextech

2500 mAh AA

29 g

2400 mAh

Well know model battery supplier

As you can see some of these batteries are only 10% of their stated capacity and therefore will only last 1/10th as long as the better brands.

Batteries weighing under 32 g cannot be 3000 mAh or higher in capacity. If you own one of these then you have been missold.

Lots of batteries suppliers on Ebay do not list the battery weight. We recommend that you contact them and ask the weight before you purchase.

Sadly there is no way for Ebay or other on-line selling sites to monitor these counterfeit batteries. They simply don't have the specific expertise to do so and there is no law to stop any label being put on these batteries.

At Vapextech we want to dismiss the many myths about rechargeable batteries and we will only sell the genuine article.